


To the Waters and the Wild

by TheLittleLostTimeLord



Series: Little Falcons [18]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic, Court Sorcerer Merlin, F/F, F/M, M/M, Magic Bullshit, Mpreg, Pendragons are disasters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-19 22:58:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17610638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLittleLostTimeLord/pseuds/TheLittleLostTimeLord
Summary: Morgana has been caught. Camelot is thriving. things are going well. Enter the Pendragon kids.  Murder, Teen Pregnancy, and Coups prove that Pendragons have no chill.****The first 7 chapters are reposts of some of the other works in this series. I realized that my series of oneshots had developed a plot when i wasn't looking so now its a multi-chapter fic. ****Here's a quick guide if you want to just start with this fic rather than reading all the one shots.It's bring you right up to the start of this fic in like 2 minutes.





	1. The Maiden and the Selkie

**Author's Note:**

> The first 7 chapters are reposts of some of the other works in this series. I realized that my series of oneshots had developed a plot when i wasn't looking so now its a multi-chapter fic.

The court was extremely worried when after her second birthday Phoenix had failed to being speaking. She was happy and healthy but she would not speak. Whispers spread that the young princess was a changeling. Anyone who Arthur heard spreading such rumors were immediately dismissed from the court. He worried about his daughter but he had no doubts that she was as wholly herself as she was at her birth. There was nothing wrong with her. She simply didn’t speak. She laughed and cried and hummed. She clearly understood what other said to her. She was smart and beautiful and cheerful. He would hear no ill about her.

“Uther would have cast her out.” Morgana told Peregrine as they strolled through the castle. Morgana still remained under guard and refused to speak with the kings, but she had developed a fondness for her eldest niece. The often walked together, guards trailing behind at a short distance.

“Of course he would have. He’d have cast us all out. Everything he tried to rid the kingdom off now inhabits the castle.” Perry laughed. “As the royal family no less. Including you.”

“Hmm.” Morgana hummed. “How are the other two?”

“Kes nearly took Sir Cador’s head off the other day. Screamed about how stupid his plan was. I’ve no idea what his plan was specifically. Something about troop movements. And through the whole thing Arthur was barely containing his laughter behind his hand. Gyr and Merlin weren’t even trying to hide their laughter.

“Gyr wants to take Nix to the seaside. He thinks it may do her good to be away from court for a bit. I’m not sure if it will do anything for her, but it would be a nice trip for them. He loves he loves her so dearly, as though she were his own daughter.”

“I’ve seen them from my window. He dotes on her”

“Arthur says he’s spoiling her rotten as though he does not do the same with her. She’s at more council meetings than Merlin, always perched on his lap.”

“That’s one thing I can say about my brother: he loves his children.”

 

_-_-_-_-_

 

“I shouldn’t be here, Kes. What if your fathers come to check on you?” John urged as Kestrel gently pulled him towards her bed.

“They won’t. Come on, John. It’ll be fun.” Kestrel kissed at his neck.

“We can’t.”

“I know the spell Merlin uses to keep from getting pregnant.”

“Your fathers had Phoenix.”

“Yeah but one failure in like fifteen years is pretty good. Besides if something did happen it's not like my fathers could get that mad, Perry was born out of wedlock and Merlin was pregnant on his wedding day with me and Gyr. Come on we’ve been together for three years.”

“And you know that I love you, but you are the heir apparent, Kes. We’re too young”

“I’m nearly seventeen. Others have married younger.”

“Kes…”

“Very well, will you at least sleep here with me tonight. I’m sure we can find something fun to do.”

 

_-_-_-_-_

 

A delegation from Soclium in the far north arrived for a visit. It was a large group, lead by the crown prince, Leofrick, and his young wife, Ronat. Ronat was quiet and never seemed to meet anyone’s eye. Their daughter Alise, however, had become joined at the hip with Phoenix within three days, surprising both sets of parents. Apparently Alise was usually a very shy girl and it was usually a near impossible task to separate Phoenix from her fathers or brother.

Even as she played with Alise she’d look up to ensure Merlin, Arthur, or Gyr was still around and would cry out sharpy if she could not see one of them. Gyr took the pair to the gardens with Soazi on most days. The girls loved to run about the flowers and fountains.The royal garden was enclose by tall walls, ensuring neither child could wander too far. Alise waded in the fountains everyday, much to her mother’s amusement and her fathers anger. Gyr would try to magic her clothes dry again before her father found out, otherwise a great deal of shouting occurred.

Gyr did not like Prince Leofrick. Neither did his fathers or his sisters. More than once Phoenix had forced him away from herself and Alise with magic. This angered the prince as well. He did not like that a toddler could hold such power over him, but he knew better than to attempt to harm her. It would have been impossible for him to do so even if he tried. There was not a moment she was away from her family, even at night. She shared Gyr’s bed, sleeping in his protective arms. When she was smaller, before she was weaned, she’d slept between her fathers.

“You really like playing with Alise, don’t you, Nix?”

Phoenix nodded. Then, for the first time she spoke. “She’s half gone too. We fill the holes.”

While Gyr stared in amazement, unable to respond, Phoenix drifted off to sleep.

 

_-_-_-_-_

 

It was late, but it was not unusual for Peregrine to walk through the castle alone at night. She liked the cool crisp air and the quiet. She could spend hours wandering the castle and its grounds before retiring for the night. She particularly liked the little used parts of the castle. She was walking past the unused Queen’s quarters when she heard sobbing coming from within.

The quarters had not been used since her grandmother Ygraine was alive. Merlin could have taken them when he married Artur, but they chose to share quarters. Peregrine could count on her fingers the number of nights that her fathers hadn't slept next to each other. Geoffrey once commented that theirs were the happiest royal marriage he’d ever seen, which was saying quite a lot, as Peregrine suspected the man was immortal.

She opened the door a crack and saw that someone was laying in the large bed, crying. She crept closer, as silently as she could. It was Ronat.  Her nightdress was torn and her arm bore a dark purple mark.

“My Lady.” Peregrine spoke cautiously.

Ronat rose and turned quickly to face Peregrine. She had black eye and there were hand shaped bruises on her neck. He night dress was more rag than garment. She looked terrified. “Did he send you?”

“Who? Your husband? Did he do this to you?” Peregrine tried not to sound angry. She was already preparing to punish whoever had hurt Ronat.

Ronat looked away but nodded.

“He won’t lay another hand on you. I promise.”

Ronat smiled sadly. “If only it were that simple. He wants a son.”

“He can go to hell for all I care. Do you want to give him that son?”

“No.” Ronat said softly.

“Then he’ll have to look elsewhere for a womb to carry the child.”

“He owns me. He will get what he wants, eventually.”

“Stay here. You will be safe in Camelot. I will ensure it.” Peregrine took Ronat’s hand in her own and squeezed slightly.

“I can’t I can’t leave him.”

“You still love him?”

“I hate him!”

“Then why won’t you leave.”

“I’m a selkie. He has my sealcoat. As long as he has it I must stay with him.”

“I will take it from him. I swear to you.”

 

_-_-_-_-_

 

Morgana was not expecting Peregrine to visit so late at night. The princess was silent, taking deep breaths to temper her anger. Then she looked her aunt in the eyes. “I’m going to need your help.”


	2. Karma

Two nights passed before they could set their plan in motion. Peregrine waited until night fell over the castle before carefully making her way to Morgana’s room. She couldn’t be seen. There could be no witnesses for what they were about to do. As she approached she spotted the guard stationed outside of her aunt’s room. Quietly she cast the spell she’d learned earlier that day. The man fell to the floor, asleep. Peregrine slipped inside the room.

Morgana was waiting for her wearing a deep green cloak over a simple dress. She carried a bag full of her possessions.

“I’m going to ask one more time, because once I leave this room there is no going back. Are you sure about this?”

“You’ll keep your end of the bargain.” Morgana nodded. “Then I’m sure.”

Peregrine crossed the room and recited the words she had memorized. The binding fell to the floor with a clang. Morgana rubbed her wrists and summend a small ball of light.

“Finally!” She smiled. “Being without magic was so frustrating.”

The pair snuck through the castle silently, freezing at every sound. They’d only get one chance at this. If they got caught they’d never get another shot and this was not a mission Peregrine was going to let slip through the cracks. Peregrine cast the sleeping spell on the guard stationed at their destination.

“You know, I can see our relation.” Morgana quipped

Leofrick was alone. Peregrine had ensure Ronat and Alise would be farefrom the carnage that was to come. The prince slept soundly not knowing his fate.

“Do you want to or should I?” Morgana offered.

“I want to do it.” Peregrine was certain. She pulled her dagger from is sheath and approached the sleeping man. “This is kinder than you deserve, but I don’t have the time to draw it out.” She whispered, before quickly drawing the blade across his throat.

Once the man was dead she set about finding what she’d come for. In a locked chest hidden in the back of the wardrobe she found Ronat’s sealcoat and a smaller matching one.

“It’s time I disappear. Get yourself cleaned up and back to bed. You were never here.”

Peregrine nodded. She watched as Morgana swept down a hidden staircase that would lead her to an escape tunnel. Then she made her way back to her room. She washed off the blood, changed into sleep clothes, and tossed the ones covered in blood into the fire. She watched them burn for a few moment before laying down to sleep, to wait for the alarm bells to wake her in the morning when they discovered what had happened.


	3. Either trouble finds the Pendragon or the Pendragon finds trouble

“We can’t ignore this! Best case scenario she accidentally left the book somewhere for Morgana to find. Which brings the question what she was even doing with the book. But she’s too calm, she wasn’t surprised. Our daughter had something to do with this, Arthur, and she knew what she was doing.” Merlin was on the verge of crying.

“What do you want to do?!  Charge her with treason? Execute her?” Arthur shouted back.

“Of course I don’t! Fuck, Arthur, I don’t know what to do. I want to believe she didn’t do this, but we both know she did. She let your sister free and Morgana killed a man.” Merlin sighed. There’s going to be a war once this reaches Soclium.”

“I know.” Arthur said quietly. “Where did we go wrong, Merlin?”

Before Merlin could answer there was a knock on the door.

“Come in.” Arthur instructed.

Gwen entered. She was nervous. “We’ve got a couple more problems with the kids.”

“What?” Arthur asked urgently.

“Gyr and Addy are gone.” Merlin and Arthur started to panic. Gwen raised her arms to signal them to calm down. “It looks like they’re safe. They weren’t taken. There were notes on their beds and Gyr left Phoenix with Kestrel, but no one has any idea where they went or why.”

“It can’t be good, whatever it is.” Merlin slumped down into a chair.

“If it were anyone else I’d say they’d run of together, but…” Arthur trailed off.

“Gyr doesn’t like girls like that.” Gwen finished. “Lance went out looking as soon as we found the note on Addy’s bed. I thought Gyr might know where she’d gone. That’s when I found the other note.”

 

_-_-_-_-_

 

“Nothing looks out of place. He didn’t take much with him. Means he’ll probably be back soon.” Merlin closed the door to Gyr’s wardrobe.

“Of course he will. He loves Phoenix to much to leave her behind.” Arthur replied from the other side of the room. He knelt to look under the bed. He spotted a lump under the mattress. He lifted the mattress and pulled out a small old leather-bound book. “I found something.”

What is it?” Merlin made his way to Arthur’s side. Arthur held up the book.

“He hid it under the mattress.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“What is it?”

“It’s the journal of Herphod. He was a Dragonlord nearly a hundred years ago. I collected a bunch of old Dragonlord’s writings after I learned I was one. Gyr wouldn’t need to hide the fact that he was reading one the journals. He knows he’s allowed to read them.” A moment of silence passed before Merlin realized what was going on. “Oh, fuck!”

“What? Is Gyr in danger?”

“No, but he’s pregnant.”

“What? What makes you think that?”

“A bunch of Dragonlord’s have carried children. I wasn’t the first. I won’t be the last. A couple of the journals talk about it even, but Herphod’s the only one who cataloged the symptoms. I figured out I was pregnant the first time when I found the list.”

“Are you sure that’s it? He’s never mentioned a boy he was seeing.” Arthur asked.

“I’m sure. He's got the page bookmarked. He’s panicking like I did.”

“He’s sixteen! I thought if it was going to be any of them it would be Kes.”

“I did too.”

Arthur shook his head and sighed. “Look what great parents we made. One kid’s an accomplice to murder and another’s knocked up at sixteen.”

“He’ll come home. Addy’ll talk him down. It runs in her family just like being a pain in the ass and finding trouble runs in ours. Right now we need to deal with Peregrine and hold the kingdom together.”

“I know.” Arthur agreed noncommittally.

“Lancelot’s out looking for them. If anyone can find them it’s him. He always found them when they used to run off after Gyr had a fight with us or Addy and a fight with Lance and Gwen.”

“I know.”


	4. Where the Trouble Began

Kestrel opened her door to find her brother holding her little sister in his arms.  

“Can you take Pheonix for the night? I need to do something and I don’t want her to wake up alone and scared.” Gyr asked. He was already wearing his cloak.

“Why don’t you bring her to our fathers?”

“I don’t want them to know I’m going out.”

“Are you in danger?” Kestrel asked as she reached out to take Phoenix's sleeping form from him.

“No,” Gyr assured her. “And I’m not going alone. Addy’s coming with me. We should be back late tomorrow or early the day after. I just need...I need to speak with someone.”

Kestrel could tell there was something her brother wasn’t telling her, something big. She felt hurt he didn’t trust her with whatever it was but agreed to watch Kestrel.

 

_-_-_-_-_

 

“He was here! Everytime I came here he was here! The one time I really truly need him to be here he’s not!” Gyr slumped to the ground against a tree.

“So screw him!” Addy declared.

“That’s kind of how I got into this situation.” Gyr couldn't help but smile a bit.

Addy laughed a bit as she sat down next to him. “You don’t need him! You can do it on your own. I’ll help you. Perry and Kes will help you. Your fathers with help you.”

“If they don’t kill me first.”

“They won’t kill you, Gyr. Your fathers love you.”

“If I can’t find him, I can’t do right by this kid. I know what you’re going to say, but it’s not the same. If my grandfather had been dead before Perry was born they would have been married by the time she was born.”

“I’ll marry you if that’s what you’re so worried about!”

“No, Addy.”

“Come on we’re best friends. I wouldn’t mind living with you. We’d never be like your fathers but few royal marriage ever are.”

“No. You’re gonna find someone you truly love someday and I don’t want to be in they way.”

“Did you?”

“What?”

“Did you truly love him?”

Gyr bit his lip and looked at his lap. “I don’t know. There wasn’t anything serious between us. I mean, I only saw him five times.” He sighed. “What does that say about me? I got pregnant by a guy I barely knew.”

“That you’re sixteen and stupid.” She teased. “No it doesn’t say anything about you. Not really. Except that you have a very loving heart. Which is why you're going to be a great father.”

“It means I'm an idiot. I should have learned the spell my father uses. He spent so much time perfecting it for exactly this reason and I didn’t even bother to look at it.”

“There are ways to...end the pregnancy.”

Gyr shook his head. “Not without telling Merlin. He’d have to do it. It’s different for dragonlords and people with magic. It requires magic in addition to the herbs. My father’s the only one I know of who knows how.” Gyr started to sob. Addy pulled him into her arms.

They stayed like that for a long while and eventually fell asleep, exhausted from the night before. Addy woke first spotted something in a nearby bush. It shone brightly in the sun. She carefully extracted herself from Gyr’s arms and crept over to it. She found it nested in some ferns. It was about the size of a melon, blue-grey with splashes of bronze, and it was warm to the touch.

“Fuck!” She said to herself. She wanted to carry it over to Gyr but she was to scared to pick it up. If it was what she thought it was it was far to valuable, to precious, to risk it. Gyr would know what to do with it. She returned to his side and began to gently shake him. “Gyr, wake up. There’s something you need to see.”

It took a few tries before Gyr woke. He sat up stretched and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He yawned as he asked. “What’s happening?”

“I found something. It’s a-well I can’t be sure, but you’ll know. I think it’s a dragon egg.”

Gyr hurried to where she indicated. He was filled with a sense of awe when he saw it. He gently stroked the shell and without even thinking whispered “Druzagu.”

The egg shifted and a tiny crack appeared. Gyr gasphed.

 

_-_-_-_-_

 

_Gyr climbed down off of Soazi’s back. She was getting so big. She was already larger than the biggest dog he’d ever seen and while she couldn’t do it for very long distances, she could no support him as she flew._

_“Did good?” She asked happily. She’d begun to talk as well. Most people didn’t hear the difference from the sounds she’d made as a baby but Gyr, his siblings, and Merlin could._

_“Yes, you did very good.” Gyr smiled as he stroked her head. Soazi chirped happily and took off to stalk a badger she’s spotted a little ways off. Gyr began to gather the herbs he’d come for when he heard a voice above him._

_“That’s a very beautiful dragon.”_

_Gyr looked up to find a boy his age lounging in the tree. Long red-brown hair draped around his shoulders._

_“Who are you?” Gyr asked cautiously._

_“Halamar. I live just over there” The boy pointed toward a nearby hill before he jumped down and held out his hand to Gyr._

_Gyr took his hand and shook it. “Gyr.”_

_“And how did you get a dragon, Gyr?” The boy smiled._

_Gyr thought for a moment. Halamar hadn’t recognized his name, he didn’t know Gyr was a prince, didn’t know he was the son of a dragonlord. For once he’d met someone with no pre-formed opinions about him or how he should behave._

_“My mother, found her as a baby.” Gyr lied seamlessly. “We raised her.”_

_“Cool! Do you need any help gathering that feverfew?” Hallamar asked._

_“Sure.” Gyr smiled. They spent the afternoon talking about nothing of any importance and laughing at each other's jokes. Gyr felt a strange tingle in the palms of his hands and his chest that almost hurt when they parted ways._

 

__-_-_-_-__

 

_Three weeks passed before the feverfew ran low. When Gyr landed in the clearing Halamar was already there, almost like he’d known Gyr was coming._

_“Hal!” Gyr beamed as he jumped off of Soazi. “What are you doing out here?”_

_“When I woke up this morning something told me to come here, that you’d be here today. I brought something so Soazi!” Halamar runed over to a pair of baskets at the edge of the clearing. He brought one of them back. He pulled the cover away to reveal a large pile of meat. “It’s goat. I hope that’s alright.”_

_“That’s perfect!”_

_“I made us a picnic too. If you have time.”_

_“I have time.” Gyr was smiling so hard it almost hurt._

 

__-_-_-_-__

 

_Halamar brought a picnic the next time Gyr saw him as well. They ate together laughing under one of the trees. Soazi was napping nearby._

_“Gyr?” Halamar asked nervously, biting his lip. “I understand if the answer’s no but can I...Can I kiss you?”_

_Gyr’s heart was pounding so hard he couldn’t hear himself reply. Halamar’s lips met his own and his whole body felt tingly.  They spent that afternoon and the next time they saw each other kissing and talking._

 

__-_-_-_-__

 

_The last time they Gyr saw Halamar had been much the same as the previous two times. They were kissing on a blanket in their clearing, Soazi nearby, when Gyr felt Halamar’s hand slip under the waistband of his pants. He knew he should stop him, that a prince shouldn’t lose his virginity to a boy he barely knew in a clearing in the forest. But he also knew that his fathers had been drunk the first time they’d been together and that, if the rumours were true, Arthur had lost his virginity in the stables where he could have been caught at anytime. Gyr was sober and there was no one else around for miles, so he he figured he was doing better than the both of them._

_“Can I?” Halamar asked hopefully._

_“Yes! Gods yes!” Gyr kissed him again. “Oil.” Kiss. “ In my bag.” Kiss_

 

_-_-_-_-_

 

A tiny grey dragon with copper stripes poked it little head out of the egg.

“She’s beautiful!” Addy gasphed.

“He.” Gyr correct, though he didn’t know how he knew that.

“Where did he come from? I meen his mother wouldn’t have left her egg out in the open like this. Would she?”

Gyr shook his head. “I think Hal brought him here. I don’t know where he found a dragon egg though?” He reached out and let the little dragon climb into his hand.

Suddenly they heard hoofbeats coming closer. They dove into the bushes to hide.


	5. Meanwhile in the Castle

Peregrine snuck into the old queen’s quarters in the middle of the night. She found Ronat still awake, reading a book that must have been missed when Ygraine’s things were cleared out. Peregrine laid the seal coats down on the table in front of her. Ronat sat opposite her, Alise slept in her cot nearby. Ronat blink slowly a few times before looking up at Peregrine.

“What’s this?”

“Your sealcoats...” Peregrine almost asked.

“You’re...you’re giving them back?”

“Of course I am! They’re yours.”

“You’re not...No one’s ever done that, I don’t think, for any selkie.”

Peregrine cocked her head slightly in confusion.

“If you take a selkie’s sealcoat you own them.” Ronat explained. “I’m yours now.”

“No one owns anyone here in Camelot. I won’t make you leave and I won’t make you stay. It’s your choice. You are free to do what you want.” Peregrine insisted. “You don’t belong to me.”

“What if they come for for her? For us?” Ronat asked, looking over at her daughter.

“My fathers will not allow them to take you and neither will I. I promise you this, Ronat. If you stay here in Camelot you will never have to fear for your safety or you freedom.”

“Most places wouldn’t allow us that. They don’t see us as human, which I suppose we aren’t not really. They think we need a master. Your fathers are good men, but will they agree with you when they learn we’re selkies?”

“Do you know anything about my grandfather? What he was like?” Ronat shook her head. “Do you know what my father, Merlin, is? What I am?”

“I know you have magic.”

“I’m a dragonlord.”

“Ronat’s eyes widened. “Dragonlords are real? I thought they were myths. No one’s ever seen one.”

“That’s because my grandfather, Arthur’s father, tried to eliminate them all. My siblings and I don’t just use magic. We’re born with it, we are it. Camelot has already decided where it stands on this issue. You will not be seen any differently because you’re a selkie.” Peregrine promised. “And if anyone ever gives you trouble about it you send them straight to me. I’ll sort them out. Or any of my siblings or my fathers if I’m not around.”

Ronat took Peregrine’s hand and held it between her own. She smiled and Peregrine smiled back. “Thank you.”

 

_-_-_-_-_

 

There were many many things Kestrel Pendragon excelled at. Childcare, however, was not one of them.

“Phoenix, come out right now!” She called pulling on the door to the wardrobe where her little sister had sealed herself away.

“Want Gyr!” Phoenix screamed from within.

Phoenix had not appreciated waking up without her brother nearby. Any change in routine threw the toddler off. She was a creature of habit. If given enough warning ahead of time she could sometimes deal with change, but even then it was always a bit rough.

“I know, Phoenix, but he’s not here right now.” Kestrel shook her head and scolded herself. “Gyr would know what to say to get her out. I can plan out troop movements and manage the council, but this toddler...I can’t even get her out of the wardrobe.”

When the bells had rung, waking the both of them up, Phoenix had flung herself across the room and into the wardrobe, her hands over her ears using her magic to open and then close the wardrobe door. Her magic was keeping it sealed up tight. Even as Kestrel reached out with her own magic she couldn’t break Phoenix’s hold.

Each of their magic was different. Gyr’s was more defensive, shielding him instinctively. Perry’s was more reactive, lashing out when she was upset. Her own magic had always been a sort of mediating force. Trying to diffuse the situation. The three of them had had to slowly learn how to control their magic completely to prevent things like the time Perry set fire to the curtains because a visiting princess told her they weren’t friends anymore. The curtain had just erupted in flame without Perry even wanting it to.

Phoenix was different. She seemed to naturally have control over her magic. At her age none of them would have been able to maintain such a strong hold on a wardrobe door. Merlin said it was probably connected to how she was; how she rarely spoke and wouldn’t look people in the eye. Arthur said it didn’t matter, that she was perfect, just like the rest of their children.

Kestrel took a deep breath. “Nix, please come out. I know you’re upset. I can bring you to our fathers if you come out.”

For a moment there was no response then the wardrobe door creaked open. And Phoenix poked her head out.

Do you want to walk or have me carry you?” Phoenix lifted her arms in the air and Kestrel picked her up. “Oof. You’re getting big, little one.” Phoenix giggled as she wrapped her arms around her big sister.

They made their way through the castle. Kestrel wondered just how strong her brother was. He seemed able to carry Phoenix with ease but Kestrel’s arms were already starting to ache. Magic! She realized, mentally facepalming herself as she eased her sister’s weight in her arms.

“Kessy!” Kestrel rolled her eyes and turned to find Gwaine waving her over.

“I told you it’s Kes.” She said flatly as she approached. “I’m not six anymore”

“Sorry, kiddo, you’re always going to be my little Kessy.” Gwaine ruffled her hair lightly. Phoenix reached out and gently patted Gwaine’s cheek.

“Even when I’m your Queen?”

“Even then.”

“You’re an ass.” She teased.

“Yes he is.” Percival agreed coming up the hallway.

“But you like my ass.” Gwaine winked at Percival.

“That I do.” Percival hummed.

“I’m still here! If you two are going to do this, I’m leaving.” Kestrel announced. She started to walk away, toward her fathers’ room.

“They’re in your brother’s room”

“Thanks, Perce!” Kestrel called over her shoulder, as she changed course. She thanked the gods that Gwaine wasn’t a dragon lord or who know how many little monsters would be running around the castle. When she reached Gyr’s room something told Kestrel to wait and listen.

“Oh, Gyr,” Kestrel closed her eyes and sighed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Notes:

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. All the kids are dragonlords, but Gyr and Phoenix are the one who use this ability most.  
> 2\. I feel like a lot of places would view dragonlords, selkie, ect are kind of subhuman because technically they'e magical creatures. Obviously this sin't the case in Camelot  
> 3 If Gwaine could get pregnant, I think that he and Percival would have had like 10 kids at least by now


	6. Fathers' Fears

Arthur stopped pacing suddenly. “Merlin!”

“Shhh!” Merlin warned. “I just got Phoenix down for a nap.

The youngest of their children had been crying for her big brother all day. A few times someone or something had been able to momentarily distract her but never for more than half an hour.  It was only mid afternoon and Merlin and Arthur were exhausted.

“Merlin.” Arthur repeated, quieter. “What if he didn’t tell us because...what if he was… was  _hurt_?”

“No he couldn’t have been. He would have told us. Wouldn't he? Fuck!” Merlin closed his eyes as he swore under his breath.

“How far along do you think he is?” Arthur asked urgently.

“At least 2 months. You can’t tell before that. Women can, but not dragon lords. But...he’s not showing is he?”

“Not that I could tell. Kes didn’t notice anything either.”

“And he’s been eating regularly. So not more than 3 and a half months, and even that’s probably pushing it considering how thin he is. I had a bit of a bump at 2 and a half months.”

“Ok so probably around 2 months?”

“Yeah, probably.”

“That group of knights were here 2 months ago. The ones who were always drunk. What if one of them…” Arthur trailed off. “He might have felt too ashamed to talk to someone, felt like he should have protected himself better.”

“Arthur is there something I don’t know?” Merlin asked carefully as he stepped toward his husband. “Did someone-”

Arthur cut him off. He shook his head. “Not me. Morgana. She was only 13. I didn’t know then. All I knew was that father sent her away for a few months. She didn’t talk much for a while after she came back. She never wanted to be anywhere near visiting knights without me or father there with her. I was only 14. She told me what happened when we were older. She told me she had a stillborn child, a son.” Arthur turned to look out the window.

“What did Uther have to say about it?” Merlin asked, knowing he wouldn’t like the answer.

“He kept telling her she must have done something to make the knight think she wanted it. When he was really angry he just say that she had wanted it.” Arthur almost growled.

“I want to bring your father back to life so I can scream at him and then kill him again.” Merlin growled.

“I know.” Arthur sighed. “I know it used to happen to the servants under my father’s rule.” He quickly turned to Merlin. “Did you-”

Merlin shook his head. “No you kept me close at hand. Most of them thought you were fucking me and they didn’t dare touch me. Gwen was safe too. Morgana kept her he nearby the ladies or herself.”

“Thank the gods for that!”

“The only one who even got close to me was that one you punched in the face, about a month before you became king.”

“The one that grabbed you ass and pulled you into his lap. I remember.”

“I’m pretty sure most of the court figured out we were together at some level when you did that.” Merlin smirked, playfully.

“For helping you?”

“Partly. You did also tell me to get Perry and go to your room. I know they couldn't hear you but when I left I bet some of them guessed where I was going.”

Arthur smiled. “That was the first night I got to have both of you there with me” Then Arthur frowned again. “Do you think Gyr was raped?”

“I hope not. I hope it was just a mistake, but there’s no way to know right now, Arthur. Not until he tells us. Let’s rest.” Arthur wanted to protest but Merlin cut him off. “Come sleep with you daughter and me. We can’t do anything until he’s back. Let’s get some sleep while we wait.”

Arthur climbed into bed with Merlin. Phoenix between them sucking her thumb. Arthur ran his hand over her head gently. He would never stop being in awe of the children Merlin had given him each one unique and perfect. He watched as Merlin closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep before he too fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a sneak bit of foreshadowing in this. I'll give you a hint: the phrasing of the sentence is key.  
> Did you catch it?


	7. The Tree on the Hill

The group of knight stopped briefly to scan the clearing before moving on.

“You said Halamar lived over that hill.” Addy whispered. “Maybe we can find him there.”

“Good idea.” Gyr agreed as the snuck toward the hill, staying in the cover of the trees. The knights could turn around and come back at any moment and Gyr wanted to find his...boyfriend? Gyr realized he didn’t really knew what to call the father of the child he carried. It wasn’t like his fathers. They weren’t together but they both loved each other, even if they hadn’t told each other. Given time Gyr was pretty sure he would have been in love with Halamar, but he wasn’t there yet.

Climbing the hill was not difficult. It wasn't particularly steep but it offered no cover. Only one tree grew on the hill, an old hawthorne at the very top. Stand at its roots Gyr felt tiny.

“Gyr?” Addy asked, hesitantly, as Gyr gazed up at the tree. “There’s no village for miles, not even a single house.”

Gyr’s gaze snapped away from the tree and he scanned the forest and fields before him. Not even a single sign of human inhibition could be seen. No buildings, fires, or domesticated animals. The fields were wild flowers and grass not crops.

“But...He said he lived close. He told me it was only a ten minute walk.” Gyr protested weakly. Something felt wrong. He knew what danger felt like deep in his belly, but this was different. His magic was screaming at him. He pulled Addy’s hand urgently. “Addy, we need to leave. Now.”

They ran down the hill as fast as they could. Wind blew around them, like a storm rising from nowhere. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, but their hair and clothing was being whipped about. Had they not been holding hands they would have lost each other. The sound of laugher surrounded them as they ran. Then, just as they crossed a line of mushrooms at the base of the hill, the wind vanished, the laughter stopped, everything around them was calm. They turned to look back at the hill. The tree was still swaying, slowly, from the wind.  Behind them they heard footsteps. They turned quickly fearing what they might find.

“Father!” Addy ran into Lancelot’s arms. Lancelot hugged her close to his body.

“Oh, sweetheart, please don’t scare you mother and me like that ever again.” Addy nodded into his chest.

“Are you ok?” Leon asked Gyr, laying a hand gently on his shoulder.

“I don’t know.” Gyr admitted. He felt like someone was watching him from behind so he turned to look at the hill once more. For a brief moment he thought he saw a girl standing at the base of the tree, but she disappeared in the blink of an eye. “We need to leave.”

“What’s wrong?” Leon asked, scanning for potential attackers.

“I don’t know. Something doesn’t want us here.”

Druzagu poked his little head out  of Gyr’s bag and cried, having been woken by the running. Leon looked down at the noise.   
“Where did you get a dragon?”

“I found his egg in the bushes.” Gyr shrugged.

“Of course you did.” Leon sighed.

 

_-_-_-_-_

 

Kestrel was the first to hugg Gyr when they arrived back at the castle. She whispered in his ear. “They know you’re pregnant. They're not mad.”

It felt like a ton of bricks had been lifted from his shoulders when he hear that.

“I’m a little mad though. Why didn’t you come talk to me? You know I’m always going to have your back.”

“I know, Kes, and I need to talk to you later. Something weird happened.” As Gyr spoke Merlin and Arthur came rushing down the steps.

They both hugged him tightly. Gyr took a deep breath. Even though they already knew he needed to tell his fathers the truth.  But before he could speak they ushered him into the armoury. Merlin locked the door behind him.

“I’m pregnant.” Gyr blurted, less gracefully than he had intended to.

Arthur nodded. “We know. We found the book you hid.”

Gyr nodded.

“Did someone hurt you?” Merlin asked, solemnly.

“What do you mean?” Gyr asked.

“Did someone force you?” Arthur asked.

“No! No, nothing like that.” Gyr assured them. His fathers sighed in relief.

“Do you want to keep it?” Merlin asked.

Gyr realized he hadn’t actually considered that yet, having been too scared how his fathers would react. He lay a hand on his flat stomach. He could feel the tiny bit of life and magic within him. “I-I don’t know.”

“You have time to decide.” Merlin assured him.

“And we’re here for you whatever you do.” Arthur added. “Can I ask who the father is?”

Gyr looked at his feet. “You don’t know him. I met him gathering herbs. I went looking for him, to tell him. I couldn’t find him.”

 

_-_-_-_-_

 

Later as he got ready to sleep Phoenix lay her hand on his stomach and smiled.

“Baby.”

“Yes, I have a baby in there.” Gyr answered, confused how she knew. They had decided not to tell her until he knew whether he was going to have the child or not.


	8. Secret Clubhouse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first chapter that wasn't previously posted as a one shot.

Sitting on Kestrel’s bed in a circle reminded Gyr of all the nights Kes, Addy, and he had stayed up much to late together when they were little. This time however it was the middle of the day. This time they would not be telling stories and gossiping. They had a mystery to solve. In the center of their circle slept Druzagu.

“It was terrifying.” Addy explained. “The wind came up out of nowhere! I’m no stranger to magic, but there was something different about what happened there.” She shook her head slightly.

“Do you think it could have been Morgana?” Kestrel asked, wishing she’d been there to experience it firsthand.

“No.” Gyr shook his head. “This was something ancient, something primal. Whatever did it doesn’t just wield magic. They are magic, like us.”

“And there was that girl.” Addy added. “Standing by the tree.”

“You saw her too? I thought I imagined her.”

“Did you get a good look at her, Addy?” Kestrel asked eagerly.

Adette in all her years of life had never forgotten a face. Even if she had only gotten a brief glimpse of someone years before she would remember their face.

Addy shook her head. “Not really. She was far away...but, and I could be wrong, I think her lips were blue, or maybe green. Then she touched the tree and was gone.”

“Weird.” Kestrel hummed, as she made a note of that on her parchment.

“And I felt like I wanted to follow her. I didn’t want to, but something deep inside me was pulling me toward her. I felt it when we were running too. A little voice in the back of my hand telling me to let go of Gyr’s hand.”

“I didn’t feel that.” Gyr shook his head. “I wanted to run as far away as I could and never return.”

“Do you think Dru’s connected to it?” Kestrel asked her brother. “I mean, what are the changes of a strange, powerful magical force been that close to a dragon’s egg.”

“More importantly do you think Hal’s connected to it?” Addy wondered. 

“I don’t know.” Gyr paused. “But I think we need to go back.”

“What?!” Addy asked. “You just said it made you want to run away.”

“I know but we need to figure this out. We need to investigate, the three of us.”

“Just like old times.” Kestrel smiled. “Figuring out who’d taken the last cookie or broken some old relic.”

“It was always Peregrine.” Addy laughed. 

“Do you think we should bring her with us?” Gyr asked.

“No. We’d never make it out of the castle. Our father have her on lock down while they try to figure out exactly what happened with the dead prince.” Kestrel smirked. “Which means they’ll be too busy to notice use sneaking off.”

“We’ll tell them we’re going for a swim in the river. They won’t suspect a thing!” Addy clapped her hands twice in glee. 

“We’ll have to wait a few days or they might get suspicious of us going out.” Gyr noted. “We need to let them believe nothing happened.”  

“Agreed.”

With just a month and a half in age between the twins and Addy they had always been close. Peregrine had joined them when they were younger, but when she began training with the knights she started hanging out more with the boys training with her.  The three had been so close people joked they were more like triplets. As they got older and began to pursue their own interests they had drifted apart a bit. All three of them were ecstatic to be a trio again.

“We should keep what we find out in the clubhouse. You know like Kestrel’s notes and stuff.” Addy suggested.

“Do you think we’ll still fit in the passageway?.” Gyr worried. “Last time we when up there we were twelve.”

“Only one way to find out.” Kestrel beamed and she jumped out of her bed and head into the hallways. “Come on!”

Addy and Gyr rushed after her. Druzagu, who’d been awoken by Kestrel’s jump, sat on Gyr’s shoulder as they made their way through the castle.  When they finally reached the small closet that contained the entrance to an old, forgotten tower. To get to the stairs they had to squeeze through a gap about a foot wide in the back of the closet. It was about ten feet of tight quarters before they reached the stairs to the long forgotten tower. A single room lay at the top with all but one of its windows bricked over as the castle had grown and been expanded around the small tower. 

The room was dusty and small. It wasn’t tiny, but it was small enough that no practical use could be found for it, so it had lay empty until Gyr, Addy, and Kestrel had found it. They’d driven their parents crazy with worry until they worked out a system to signal where they were: If the torch in the closet at the entrance was lit with a green flame, then the three of them were safe in their little hideout. Kestrel was the last to enter the tower and she lit the torch as she went.

“Told ya we’d fit.” Kestrel smiled as she lit the torches in the tower room.

“For now.” Gyr agreed, sadly, as he mimed a round bump where one would soon grow.

“Right…”

“We’ll just have to go looking for a new hideout then. This castle huge. I’m sure there’s another forgotten place.” Addy suggested.

“Or maybe i could figure out something with magic so you’ll still fit.” Kestrel added.

“Thanks.” Gyr smiled. “Now, we have some work to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments make me smile!


	9. The Fall of Soclium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ronat's story. written in a different style from the rest of the fic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING!!! domestic abuse, child marriage, marital rape, and forced abortions are mentioned in this chapter

It would be foolish to say that Ronat was not beautiful. Even Gyr who had not interest in women agreed. There was an otherworldly beauty to her. Her daughter possessed such beauty as well, but it was less ethereal than her mother’s. It was a quality shared by many not quite human peoples. Dragonlords had had it once. (Somewhere still, in far off lands, pure blooded dragonlords possess it still.) But after centuries of interbreeding with humans, dragonlords looked much the same as the humans around them. This had saved them. Even in Camelot itself there were dragonlords still, unaware of their lineage. Their human mothers had hidden them from Uther, unaware the power they possessed, dormant, within. 

Selkies had not mixed with humans as the dragonlords had. They had mostly remained in the sea. Born wrapped in their sealcoat, there was no mistaking a selkie child. It was their beauty that caused them anguish. Humans stole their sealcoats and ensnared them. It was what tore Ronat from her home.

She’d been laying on the sands of a beach on a cool morning, her sealcoat beside her. Around her lay her friends and sisters. She had taken a short walk to explore a seaside cave and when she returned the other selkies were gone. They’d fled to the sea and there standing over her sealcoat that she’d foolishly left laying the sand was a man. He met her eye as he picked up the coat and ordered his men to take her

The man made Ronat his wife and, though she was still a child herself, got her pregnant within the year. She lost the child during one of her husband’s many beatings. Nearly two years past before she fell pregnant again. Once again her husband beat her and she lost the child, but, unknown to her husband when he went off to war, one child survived within her.

She tried her best to hide her daughter’s sealcoat from the man when he returned, but he found it and took possession of her daughter as well. He threaten to kill the child if Ronat did not deliver him a son, but when she became pregnant again he beat her; another child was lost. Ronat despared. How could she deliver her husband, her captor, a son if he killed the children before they were born?

She kept her head down and avoided him as much as she could, always keeping her daughter close at hand. She did not speak to many within her prison. When Leofrick had taken her first child from her she has gone to his father, who had shown her no mercy.

Then they had gone to Camelot. Ronat had heard whispers of the kingdom from the servants. They said a great king ruled there, but King Milon was called great by many as well. When they had arrived she had seen a girl her age holding a child the same age as Alise and she felt a pang in her heart. Quickly, however, this was relieved when the King introduced his children. 

She made a choice one night, while her child was safe in her nursemaid’s arms, and she ran from her husband, wanting only a night of peace, one night without pain, but as she did so she sealed the fate of all of Soclium. Within a week she’d been freed, her captor slain, her sealcoat returned.

Unknown to Ronat a woman rode away from the castle the night her captor died. The woman made a single stop, to retrieve a young man from a camp in the woods, before the pair rode north. In the man’s bag, nestled in cloth, lay a secret that even the woman did not yet know about. It would be instrumental in her plans and it would answer questions she had not know she had. But that would come later, for now they rode to Soclium. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ronat is nearly 19 when she comes to Camelot. She gave birth to her daughter at age 16. She was kidnapped at 13.


	10. The Vaults

The day after Gyr had returned, two days after the murder of their prince the delegation from Soclium had finished packing and were ready to depart. Arthur and Merlin made their way to the courtyard to see them off with promises to continue to investigate Leofrick’s murder. When they reached the courtyard they saw Peregrine screaming at one of the Lords of Soclium.

“She’s staying here!” Peregrine yelled.

“She is member of the court of Soclium. Her child is the heir apparent.” The Lord seemed almost frightened to be challenged by a teenage girl in armor. Arthur was about to break it up when Ronat, who’d been standing at Peregrine’s side spoke up. 

“She has my sealcoat. Alise’s as well.”

The Lord glared at Peregrine. “Very well, but know this, girl, we will return for the child.” 

A silence fell over everyone until the delegation had left. Arthur turned back to find Peregrine holding Alise on her hip as she laid her hand on Ronat’s shoulder, smiling.

“Explanation. Now.” Merlin demanded.

“I’m a selkie.” Ronat spoke softly.

“Look me in the eye, Peregrine Pendragon,” Merlin growled. “Tell me you didn’t take a selkie’s sealcoat.”

“No! I mean yes, I took it, but I returned it. I gave it to Ronat, both of them.” 

“She did.” Ronat assured. “She saved me.”

“That’s why you...that’s why Leofrick was killed?” Arthur asked carefully avoiding accusing his daughter of the crime directly. Peregrine nodded. “Then, Ronat, you are welcome to say in Camelot for as long as you would like.”

“Thank you, Sire.” Ronat began to bow. 

“Arthur.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “You will be safe here. No one will take you away if you wish to stay.”

“King Milon will send his armies. Leofrick was his only child. Alise is the only heir, even if she is a selkie.” 

“He can send all the armies he wants. Your daughter will be safe in Camelot.” Arthur vowed.

“You’d go to war for me?” Ronat was shocked. 

“We have worked hard to make Camelot a safe place for those in need. Everyone here has the freedom to control their own life. To allow Soclium to take you or your daughter would be a betrayal of the very foundations we have built this kingdom one.”

Tears clung to the corners of Ronat’s eyes. She thanked Arthur and Merlin again, before returning to the castle with Peregrine.

“I would have killed him too.” Merlin mused. 

“Me too. There would have been a trial of some sort so the public would understand, but I’d have killed him.”

“Perry’s always been a bit of a blunt instrument. She gets it from you, just like her hair.” Merlin nudged Arthur’s shoulder.

“Hey!” Arthur nudged back.

 

_-_-_-_-_

 

Kestrel brushed a stray piece of hair back behind her ear before turning the page in the book she was reading. The three of them had raided the library in the night to prevent anyone from figuring out what they were studying. They’d squirreled the books away to their hideout and each started reading. Nearly three weeks had passed and it was getting a bit hard for Gyr to make it into the hideout, so they’d relocated their workstation to an unused room for a visiting lord. 

“You’re sure it was laughter?” Kestrel asked. “Could it have been moaning or wailing?”

“No, definitely laughter.” Addy replied not looking up from her book. “Almost giggling.”

“Then she definitely wasn’t a banshee.” Kestrel sighed and skipped ahead in her book.

“Gyr you ok?” Addy asked, noticing that he hadn’t turned the page in a few minutes and was just staring at the book silently.

“It was the Sídhe!” Gyr answered. “We accidentally crossed into the realm of the Sídhe! The hill! The ring of mushrooms! The hawthorne tree! We couldn’t see Hal’s home because we were in a different realm!”

 “Gyr…” Kestrel started. “What if that  _ was _ Hal’s home?”

Before Gyr could respond Addy added. “More urgently, you took Dru from them. What bargain did you accidently agree to?”

“Fuck.” There was a long moment of silence after Gyr swore.

“We should check the vaults  and see if there’s anything Sídhe related down there.” Kestrel suggested.

 

_-_-_-_-_

 

“Why are we going into the vaults again?” Peregrine asked her siblings as they crept through the silent castle.

“Like you need a reason to sneak about where you’re not supposed to.” Kestrel teased. 

“Fair enough.” Peregrine agreed before unlocking the gate with the copy of a key she’d stolen years before. 

“Be careful.” Gyr warned. “Last time we were down here we acidenty let that goblin loose.” 

Peregrine grunted in acknowledgement before she made her way off into the maze that was the vaults.

“Our fathers should really get around to organizing this place.” Gyr commented as they searched the shelves of magical tomes. 

Kestrel hummed. “I’m just surprised Uther kept all of this. With how much he hated magic I would have thought he’d have burned everything he could.” 

“He kept a dragon locked behind a single door.” Gyr reminded her. “I’m not sure he understood magic enough to properly destroy it.”

“Sometimes I wish he could see Camelot now. I’d love to see how outraged it would make him.”

Gyr laughed. “I found a Dragonlord journal. Merlin must have missed it when he grabbed the others.”

“Nice. Anything about the Sídhe?”

“No.”

“I found a book of creatures it might have something about them, but I won’t know until I’ve read it.”

The pair spent a few more minutes looking and found a couple more books that might contain the information they sought before Peregrine rejoined them. She had an old lantern with her.

“What’s that?” Kestrel asked.

“Dunno? I tried to use it but it won’t light. I’m gonna mess around with it and try to figure out what it does.”

“I might just be a broken lantern.” Gyr suggested.

“Maybe.” Peregrine shrugged. “You guys ready to go?”

The twins nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any guesses who the Dragonlord who wrote the journal was? They lived the same time Uther and Balinor did.  
> Any guesses what the lantern does?

**Author's Note:**

> [My Tumblr](http://www.wolfstarforever.tumblr.com)   
>  [My Writing Tumblr](http://www.thelittlelosttimelord.tumblr.com/)


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